The Magic of Dumbledore
by SylvaDragon
Summary: How does Dumbledore manage to be so twinkly eyed and merry, when he's seen so much death and suffering ? One young girl thinks she knows the secret of Dumbledore's magic. Sweet fluffy one shot.


_Author's Note_

_This was going to be part of my story, Through Dumbledore's Eyes. I decided, however, that since it wouldn't really progress the story that it was probably better as a one shot. I wrote it to try to give my view of how Dumbledore manages to be so twinkly eyed when he's seen so much suffering. It's set short after Harry is left with the Dursleys. __  
_

The Magic of Dumbledore

That afternoon Albus Dumbledore found a young Gryffindor crying in a deserted corridor, the girl was hunched in a corner sobbing into her arms. Albus knew her father, he had been a good man who'd been killed by deatheaters a few months before. Sitting on the ground next to the girl, he slipped a gentle arm round her shoulders, drew her close to him and, murmered soothing words of comfort untill her crying lessened a little. Then he brushed her hair from her face and gently asked.

"Why do you cry Kyrie, is it your father ?" Dumbledore asked.

Suddenly the girl realised she had been sobbing on the headmaster's shoulder for the last few minutes, blushing she shrank away from him a little, even though his embrace had felt warm and soothing.

"Don't be embarrassed my dear Kyrie, everyone needs to cry sometimes - even wise old headmasters like me." Albus twinkled beningly at her over his half moon spectacles.

Somehow the headmaster's twinkling eyes and kindly tone had a relaxing effect on Kyrie. She started to feel more at ease and less shy - just as Dumbledore had hoped she would. He'd been worried about her for several weeks now, concerned how she was coping with loosing the father she had adored.

"You don't really cry do you, Sir ?" She asked before she could stop herself, then panicked and stuttered words of apology. You couldn't, just couldn't, ask headmasters things like that, even if they were twinkly eyed and slightly eccentric like Dumbledore.

"There's no need to apologise my dear girl, I really don't mind you asking - an enquiring mind is a wonderful thing." Albus said gently, and beamed warmly at her as though she had done something quite wondrous. "And now to answer your question, my dear, yes I most certainly do have a good cry on occassion. It's much better than keeping things shut away inside"

"But you always seem so happy, and twinkly eyed and full of laughter, Sir"

"Why thank you my dear, that is quite possibly one of the nicest things anyone has said to me this term. Even nicer than when Professor Snape complimented me on my new red and gold socks."

Kyrie couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Snape complimenting anyone on anything, let alone gryffindor coloured socks. Albus was pleased to hear her laugh for maybe the first time since news of her father's death, but he also noticed how fast the sadness and loss came back to her face, how fresh tears came to her eyes. So many young people at Hogwarts had lost loved ones in the war with Voldemort, it broke Albus's heart to think of it. Gently he tightened his embrace, placed his hands over hers.

"There, there my dear, it is hard, I know it is hard. I understand and I am always here for you if you need me." Albus's voice was tender and full of compassion. "Shall I tell you why I am so often twinkly eyed, as you so enchantingly put it ?"

"Oh yes please, Sir" Kyrie said.

"It is because I have learned that happiness comes from being able to live in the present. If we are always dwelling on the past, or worrying about the future then, we forget to enjoy those things that are here and now. Such as the very delicious lemondrops Minerva brought me this morning, or the wonder of a brand new pair of socks. We forget to laugh at the wondrously humourous things that happen every day, because the largest part of us is always elsewhere." Albus drew Kyrie to the window overlooking the grounds of Hogwarts, "Look there, see how the last leafs hang on the trees like giant glowing gems, and see how the raindrops on the grass are like a thousand rainbows. And look there is Hagrid just about to bump into Professor Snape, who will doubtless be most annoyed." Albus chuckled merrily, then sniffed the air "And it smells as if we have chocolate trilfe for dessert today."

Looking out of the window Kyrie noticed how things suddenly looked a little brighter, and like Albus, she loved chocolate trifle.

"I knew your father well, and he loved you with all his heart, he was so proud of you and only wanted you to be happy." Albus said gently "He would not want you to be sad. It is natural that you miss him but, he would want you to be happy, to live and to enjoy life. And remember your father is with you always, you carry him in your heart where ever you go."

Kyrie felt suddenly lighter as if a weight had lifted of her, she hadn't thought of things in this way before. Without thinking she wrapped her arms round Dumbledore and whispered "Thank you sir."

Albus held her tenderly, stroked her hair in a grandfatherly way and said "My pleasure, my dear and, now shall we go and find some of that delicious smelling chocolate trifle."

When Kyrie nodded eagerly he took her by the hand, and whispering to one of the paintings on the wall "Ask the house elves to make chocolate trifle for dessert today", walked hand in hand with her to the castle's kitchens.

Years later, when Kyrie had children of her own, she would tell them the story of the afternoon that kind hearted gentle old man, Albus Dumbledore, had taken the time to lighten the heart of one of his youngest students. Her eyes would sparkle as she remembered Dumbledore's kindness, and she would always end the story in the same way. Her eyes full of gratitude and memories, as she said "He knew of course, he knew that I loved chocolate trifle, that's why he said it. I'm sure there wasn't going to be chocolate trifle for dessert before he found me crying. That's the magic of Dumbledore - he knows things that most people would think unimportant and, he uses those things to help people."


End file.
